Objective "Biological motion and forces originate from mechanically active proteins operating at the nanometer scale. These individual active elements interact through the surrounding cellular medium, collectively generating structures spanning tens of micrometers whose mechanical properties are perfectly tuned to their fundamentally out-of-equilibrium biological function. While both individual proteins and the resulting cellular behaviors are well characterized, understanding the relationship between these two scales remains a major challenge in both physics and cell biology.We will bridge this gap through multiscale models of the emergence of active material properties in the experimentally well-characterized actin cytoskeleton. We will thus investigate unexplored, strongly interacting nonequilibrium regimes. We will develop a complete framework for cytoskeletal activity by separately studying all three fundamental processes driving it out of equilibrium: actin filament assembly and disassembly, force exertion by branched actin networks, and the action of molecular motors. We will then recombine these approaches into a unified understanding of complex cell motility processes.To tackle the cytoskeleton's disordered geometry and many-body interactions, we will design new nonequilibrium self consistent methods in statistical mechanics and elasticity theory. Our findings will be validated through simulations and close experimental collaborations.Our work will break new ground in both biology and physics. In the context of biology, it will establish a new framework to understand how the cell controls its achitecture and mechanics through biochemical regulation. On the physics side, it will set up new paradigms for the emergence of original out-of-equilibrium collective behaviors in an experimentally well-characterized system, addressing the foundations of existing macroscopic ""active matter"" approaches." Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencescondensed matter physicssoft matter physicsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural sciencesbiological sciencescell biologynatural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsstatistical mechanicsnatural sciencesmathematicspure mathematicsgeometry Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-StG-2015 - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2015-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Host institution CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS Net EU contribution € 1 491 868,00 Address RUE MICHEL ANGE 3 75794 Paris France See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 491 868,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS France Net EU contribution € 1 491 868,00 Address RUE MICHEL ANGE 3 75794 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 491 868,00
